The Dallas Cowboys had a good day on Sunday, Dec. 15, as star pass rusher Micah Parsons led the squad to a convincing win over the Carolina Panthers, but major questions still loom over the franchise as the 2024 regular season draws near its end.
Quarterback Dak Prescott’s health and Mike McCarthy’s future as head coach are near the top of that list, but perhaps the most interesting question mark involves the trade rumors floating around Parsons.
The outside linebacker is in the final year of his rookie contract and will look to get paid either via an extension from Dallas or when he becomes a free agent and hits the open market next March.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons.
© Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images
The Cowboys can’t allow Parsons to leave for nothing, which means they either have to cave and pay the edge rusher the money he deserves, or they need to deal him for a big return before he can leave of his own accord in free agency.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network on Sunday reported a new twist in the trade speculation surrounding Parsons and his impending free agency.
I talked to Cowboys executive Stephen Jones earlier in this week about that. And he told me that what they’re going to do philosophically this offseason is rethink some things about how they put this team together — specifically paying players at the top, top end of their position. Mainly because a lot of those players have been injured, like Dak Prescott.
So then I said, ‘What about Michah Parsons?’ who is due a huge extension this offseason. Stephen Jones didn’t exactly close the door to a trade, but it was interesting. He said, ‘Obviously, we’re all-in on [wide receiver] CeeDee [Lamb] and Dak. After that you shape things, including Micah. Micah is a great player. You don’t do well in this league by letting great players leave the house.
There is a third option for Dallas, which could bail the team out of its tough decision on Parsons this offseason. Using the franchise tag would allow the Cowboys to extend his contract by one year, although at a significant pay bump for the 2025 season.
And the tag isn’t a long-term solution, as Dallas will have to make a call on a new deal for Parsons and/or decide to trade him ahead of the 2026 campaign, even if the team employs the tag this spring.
Parsons has registered 61 QB pressures, 39 QB hurries and 10 sacks in 11 games played this season, per Pro Football Focus.
